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From phone-tracking devices to giving kids the ability to delete online posts, here are a few pieces of technology legislation you should keep an eye on next year.
As technology continues to permeate everyday lives, it naturally has wormed its way into many topics considered by state legislatures and the U.S. Congress. A plethora of bills steeped in complex tech issues landed on the desks of lawmakers in 2013 -- a trend that should continue next year. Government Technology has identified five proposals of note that public-sector technologists should keep tabs on as the calendar flips to 2014.
New Jersey is considering legislation that enables children to remove online posts from social media and discussion forums. Introduced by Sen. Shirley Turner, D-Mercer, S0318 requires website and online application operators to make sure minors can delete posts they've come to regret or be embarrassed by. In addition, the bill prevents websites from targeting minors for certain advertising.
California Gov. Edmund G. Brown signed similar legislation for the Golden State in September, but critics aren't sure how New Jersey's bill would work. In addition, the New Jersey Star-Ledger pointed out that the bill doesn't contain any penalties for companies that violate the bill.
"There is a real mess here," Eric Bernstein, a New Jersey attorney that specializes in Internet law, told the Star-Ledger. "It's going to be overly broad and very difficult to enforce."
The bill also may be unnecessary. Many social media platforms and discussion forums already have functions that enable people to delete their posts. And the advertising aspect of S0318 may encounter First Amendment problems.
In an email to Government Technology, Turner said there had been little movement on the bill since it was introduced. She admitted S0318 was "not perfect," but believes it can help initiate broader discussion regarding protecting children using the Internet and social media.
"We need to figure out how best to protect our children from spur of the moment judgments that can harm them immediately and later in life," Turner wrote. "Additionally, with the Internet being so readily accessible to children, parents have a harder time monitoring the information to which their children are exposed. We need to protect children from being exposed to advertisements for harmful products."
"I hope to resolve the issues with the bill as the bill moves through the public vetting process," she added.
New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte has introduced a bill to ensure rural states get a better share of federal communications services.
A percentage of the Universal Service Fund – created by the FCC in 1997 to help support telecommunications services in public areas such as libraries and schools, and ensure equitable access to quality communications technology – is distributed back to states using a complex formula. The USF Equitable Distribution Act., S. 1766, would alter the formula and require that a rural state be given back 75 cents for every dollar it contributes to the USF. It would also define a "rural state" as having less than 200 people per square mile.
According to a press release from Ayotte's office, New Hampshire currently only receives 37 cents on the dollar from USF monies and has approximately 147 people per square mile. The Granite State donated $37.9 million to the USF in 2011, but received only $14.2 million back. New Hampshire ranks 46th out of 50 states when comparing the return on each dollar.
Ayotte feels the USF is "short changing" New Hampshire, allowing other states to better finance modern communications services, and she wants more of that money to flow back into rural states that need it.
A group of Minnesota lawmakers is concerned with how law enforcement agencies are using devices that mimic local phone towers to capture cellular phone data and location information.
Minnesota State Sens. D. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, and Sean Nienow, R-Cambridge, along with Reps. John Lesch, DFL-St. Paul and Mary Liz Holberg, R-Lakeville, sent a letter to Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mona Dohman questioning law enforcement's use of the tracking devices, which are sold under the names "KingFish" and "StingRay."
The lawmakers noted that public concern over the U.S. government's use of phone data this year has placed additional scrutiny on the surveillance and data retention practices of state and local law enforcement agencies. Some of the questions included in the letter include asking how much money is spent on cellular exploitation equipment, the capabilities and functions of it, examples of investigations where the equipment was used, and how long data is kept after an investigation has concluded.
Ted York, Dibble's legislative aid, told Government Technology that legislation to address the issue is "definitely being explored." He added both the data retention and use of the devices without a warrant are concerns.
Legislation is rolling through the Michigan Legislature that would amend the Michigan Telecommunications Act to streamline the process companies have to go through to discontinue basic local exchange or toll service. It passed through the Michigan Senate and is now being evaluated by the state's House of Representatives.
Sponsored by Sen. Mike Nofs, R-Battle Creek, Senate Bill 636 is touted by supporters as something that protects landlines for those that need them, at the same time giving companies the flexibility to transition to a more cellular-based platform of services, or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems. But opponents cite concerns over reliable access to 9-1-1 and emergency services, and a potential hardship for older adults that rely on landlines.
In an interview with Government Technology, Greg Moore, Nof's legislative director, felt additional changes to the bill's language would be made in 2014, before being taken up by the House for a vote.
Wisconsin is considering a bill that would establish clear guidelines on how the data from license plate readers can be used and stored.
The proposal was drafted by state Reps. David Craig, R-Big Bend, Fred Kessler, D-Milwaukee, and Sen. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst. The Journal Sentinel reported that the legislation would limit the technology's use by law enforcement and state agencies to only active criminal investigations of a suspect. The bill also mandates no information can be shared with a third party unless it is a government entity, and all data must be destroyed within 48 hours unless it's needed for a particular case.
While license plate readers can be helpful to police, privacy advocates are up in arms over the data collected and stored by license plate readers.
For example, the ACLU of Southern California and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) sued the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in November over records collected by license plate readers over the last several years.
According to the Journal Sentinel, Craig had plans to alter the bill after getting feedback from local police chiefs and is willing to extend the storage time from the proposed 48 hours. Government Technology called Craig's office multiple times this month seeking comment on whether those changes were made and the current status of the legislation, but the messages were not returned.
Looking for the latest gov tech news as it happens? Subscribe to GT newsletters.


text: Fans of Tatuaje look forward every year to the very limited installment of the Tatuaje Monsters series! In 2014, the sampler released contains 10 cigars, six of them smaller versions of the previous Monsters (Frank, Drac, Face, Wolf, Mummy, Jason) and two new blends (Chuck and Tiff). Made in Esteli, Nicaragua at the My Father Cigars factory.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
25% off Accessories.
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There are no Upcoming Shows listed for this comedian.
Freddy Stebbins
Freddy Stebbins is a professional comedic artist/performer/humorist. . . His craft combines freestyle character impersonations, stand-up comedy, satire and accent (dialectic) expertise. Recognized for his successful season with the Travel Channel's "Get Packing!" (see credits) and extensive national TV commercial work, his voice has been heard by millions of Americans through radio/tv/film/animation/sports/attractions. The traveling comedic correspondent for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2000), Freddy is currently the voice behind many attractions at Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure. With a Master of Arts, (University of Miami), Freddy moved to LA and trained with America's most prestigious improv troupe; "The Groundlings" (of SNL fame). As a stand-up comedian, he has won several major competitions including The "Certs College Campus Comedy Award" (finalist), "2007 South Beach Comedy Festival" (finalist), "Miami Improv's Funniest New Commedians/MC 2007" (winner). His weekly stand-up show was recently acclaimed in the Miami Herald as the "place to be". Freddy recently opened for national headliners Al Jackson and Ian Baggs. Interestingly, Freddy is also a local college professor. Known to most of his students at Miami-Dade College as "Professor Stebbins", his social science classes are quite popular and extremely entertaining. Recently featured in the college's newspaper (Metropolis) as the "Nutty Professor", Stebbins brings his energy and comic ability to the classroom on a daily basis, and has received recognition at the college for his effecteve teaching style.
Freddy Stebbins's Upcoming Shows
Freddy Stebbins is Known For


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I'm really digging this tapatalk....I can now keep up with what's going on on the forum now.... Best 2.99 I've spent in awhile lol
I'm really digging this tapatalk....I can now keep up with what's going on on the forum now.... Best 2.99 I've spent in awhile lol
"SA, it's more than a FEVER it's an ADDICTION" -BlacknGold Bleeder
I got an email from them the other day saying that SteelerAddicts one of the more popular forums for Tapatalk users. I use it pretty often myself.
when is this coming to the iPhone?!??! you said "days"
newbie to the smart phone world... is there a taptalk free?
- Zachintosh66 (SCM 1135)
2013 Record: 7-1. (TW 27-6 Rams) (TW 28-0 Raptors) (TW 33-12 Thunder) (TW 7-21 Seminoles) (TW 39-32 Cougars) (TW 23-15 Stealth) (TW 58-8 Force) (TW 31-28 Fury)
[ T-Wolves Web | T-Wolves FB | My Xbox Live: zachintosh66 ]
I use Tapatalk on the iPhone a lot and it's great once you get the hang of it. You can also do a good amount of Mod stuff on it, but there is also a good amount of Mod stuff you can't do...
Everyone, it seems that Notice Software has gotten into some trouble with Google for publishing apps using copyrighted or trademarked logo's. Obviously SA is not one of those but nonetheless our app and every app created by Notice Software is gone. If you already have the SA app it will still function and update, however just make sure you don't uninstall it or you won't be able to get it back.
Ive found a new company that I'm working with now and hope to have a new app up by the end of the week (knock on wood). I'll keep everyone posted as to the progress. If it works like I hope, it will blow our current app out the water.
Link to all new APP!!!!
Last edited by BlitzburghRockCity; 11-05-2011 at 12:03 AM.
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Dean (Jensen Ackles) pressures Sam (Jared Padalecki) into visiting Cicero, Indiana, so he can visit an old flame named Lisa (guest star Cindy Sampson), he had a tryst nine years ago. However, Dean is stunned when he meets not only Lisa again, but also her 8-year old son Ben (guest star Nicholas Elias), who bears a striking resemblance to him.
However, Ben soon goes missing and Sam and Dean discover that a Changeling, a demonic parasite, is snatching kids from the small town and assuming their form. Meanwhile, Ruby (Katie Cassidy) makes contact with Sam and reveals some startling information about his mom.
Phil Sgriccia directed the episode written by Sera Gamble.
Click here for Winchester Radio for this episode.


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Want to write something that's both weird and gorgeous? That pushes the boundaries of storytelling and includes moving, relatable characters? Then you should read the masters of this odd not-quite-genre.
In an interview with The Millions, acclaimed author Karen Russell discusses her novel Swamplandia!, and lists her influences:
When writing Swamplandia! I ended up teaching Geek Love, this amazing novel by Katherine Dunn that I picked up in high school. It's a dark carnival tale about a family of actual freaks – it's just nightmarish, I've never read anything like it. I'm positive that if I hadn't read that book, Kelly Link's short story collection (Pretty Monsters) and George Saunders, that I wouldn't feel free enough as I do to write weird. They expanded my idea that you can have a literary book, a book that's interested in sentences and the poetry of language, and it can also have Arty the Flipper Boy or a Civil War ghost.
When writing the Kiwi sections of Swamplandia!, if I ever felt like the tone was off I would read Saunders because he always makes me want to write. He reads like he's having such a good time and I love his humor so much. I think you write better if you're reading good people.
Elsewhere in the interview, she also praises that Saunders manages to tell "moral, moving stories" with a setting that's "insane and absurd." [The Millions]


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The website is temporary unavailable
Our technical team is doing its best to solve the problem as soon as possible.
Until everything goes back to normal do not hesitate to visit our Twitter account and our Facebook fan page to follow Garnier's latest news.
Thank you and see you soon!


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This page shows the result of the race on E-Track 6 of the TORCS Endurance World Championship 2016. Keep in
mind that the data is computed according the rules, so it is perfectly possible that you
find funny things like a driver with 2.5 pit stops. You can find the
raw submitted data
for this race here and
the standings of the TORCS Endurance World Championship 2016 here.
The TORCS Racing Board 0.7.1, © 2004-2017 Bernhard Wymann.
Current server time: Sun, 20 Sep 2020 16:02:05 +0200, site visits: 6040224, this page has been hit 366659 times.


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Can Mashable's Apple Fangirl Switch to the Lumia 920?
Is it possible for a dyed-in-the-wool iPhone user to switch to another platform, say Windows Phone 8, full-time? I'm about to find out.
Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012, I will be making Nokia's Lumia 920 my primary (read: only) phone for 10 days.
To keep things fair, I'm going to be giving up my iPhone 5. It won't even be in my possession — I'll leave it locked away at work where I won't be able to touch it or play with it. I'm even going to forward my Verizon phone number to AT&T for 10 days. I'm going all in.
To say I'm invested in the iOS ecosystem would be an understatement. Since 2008, I've downloaded or purchased 945 apps. More than that, I'm a Mac user. My calendars, contacts, iMessage lists and browser bookmarks are all part of the Apple ecosystem. Moving to another platform is a big step.
I'll be chronicling the entire process here on Mashable with video and text entries each day.
So why am I doing this? For science, of course! In truth, I want to give Windows Phone 8 and its flagship device, the Lumia 920, a real test from the perspective of someone who is a power user on another platform.
Usually, when I review a phone, I still have my main daily driver in my pocket. As a result, it's harder for me to get a consistent feel for the day-to-day aspects of the OS, the app ecosystem and the various pleasures and pratfalls of using the phone.
I often write about must-have apps — but when push comes to shove, what apps really matter the most? Can I live without Instagram? Are there apps that will let me access my drafts in Dropbox? Will I be able to access my passwords and authenticate my two-auth logins? Is there an easier way to manage four distinct mail accounts?
In short, I want to do exactly what Nokia is encouraging users to do — I want to "Switch to Lumia" and give a long, fair look at how it fits with my life.
Stay Tuned
Stay tuned to Mashable and my Twitter account (@film_girl) to follow my process. In the meantime, let me know what you'd like me to test on the Lumia 920 and what questions you have about Windows Phone 8.
If you're a longtime Windows Phone 8 user, what apps should I download first to aid in my transition? Sound off in the comments!


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Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Ferdinand snubs Kick It Out t-shirt
QPR defender Anton Ferdinand and a number of his team-mates did not wear t-shirts in support of the Kick It Out anti-racism campaign ahead of their Barclays Premier League clash with Everton.
The 27-year-old was the victim of racial abuse from Chelsea skipper John Terry in a league match last October, with Terry accepting a four-match suspension and £220,000 fine relating to the incident earlier this week.
Ferdinand was joined in not wearing the t-shirt by Rangers team-mates Shaun Wright-Phillips and Junior Hoilett, following the stance taken by Ferdinand's brother Rio prior to Manchester United's game against Stoke on Saturday and by Reading striker Jason Roberts.
Everton's Nigeria international Victor Anichebe was another who decided against showing support towards Kick It Out at Loftus Road, along with team-mate Sylvain Distin.
The Professional Footballers Association, one of the bodies which funds Kick It Out, insist players are entitled to take a stance over the matter and had earlier defended Rio Ferdinand in the face of possible sanctions from United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ferguson described Ferdinand's decision not to wear the t-shirt as "embarrassing" and promised to "deal with it".
Former Manchester United defender Viv Anderson believes Ferdinand was wrong to go against Ferguson.
Anderson, who became England's first black international when he played against Czechoslovakia in 1978, does not feel the United boss should have been put in such a position.
"I don't agree with Rio," Anderson told MUTV.
"You can see the manager was fuming and clearly he didn't know anything about it. He expects his senior boys to set an example. He is the manager. If he says we are all doing it together, it should be the end of the story. But Rio has gone the other way. I don't see where he is coming from and I don't know what it is going to achieve."


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Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Halloween Song: The Smithereens - "Blood And Roses (Voodoo)"
"Blood And Roses" brought national attention to The Smithereens in 1986 when it was one of several gems on the band's debut effort Especially For You. The ominous bass playing from Mike Mesaros immediately establishes dramatic tension, and then vocalist Pat DiNizio depicts a relationship shattered by the inability to express or accept love. There's nothing explicitly scary about DiNizio's lyrics, but they create a sense melancholy and dread as they're woven through the guitar-driven arrangement.
Those who've heard The Smithereens cover The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes" in concert might have noticed an emotional connection between that song and "Blood And Roses." It would be interesting to know if that was DiNizio's goal. There are six different versions of "Blood And Roses" on ESP3CIALLY F0R YOU, the recently released two-CD 30th Anniversary edition of the band's first album. There are a couple blistering live versions with extensive jamming; an acoustic performance, and some demos.
"Blood And Roses (Voodoo)" offers a different perspective. Though the arrangement packs its original punch, DiNizio and (I'm assuming) Mesaros, guitarist Jim Babjak, and drummer Dennis Diken add some goofy primitive grunting that eventually morphs into chants of "Voodoo!" Purists might balk at such nonsense, but a lot of Smithereens fanatics are likely to find this a fun alternative that also serves as Halloween music that somehow bridges the gap between ominous and silly.
Posted by Terry Flamm at 9:49 PM
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"This One Will Not Be Cut:" How A Movement to End Female Genital Mutilation is Spreading Through Senegal
A campaign to eradicate female genital mutilation has taken off in Senegal. What if, with the incredibly small sums of money needed by the United Nations campaign to fund these strategies across a continent, we could end FGM within the next ten to 15 years? Both UNICEF and UNFPA work to end FGM, though the GOP-led House of Representatives is seeking to eliminate funding for both.
Across Africa, according to the World Health Organization an estimated 92 million girls and women have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM), a procedure that involves removing all or part of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. FGM, a traditional practice rooted in custom and beliefs about female "purity" may include:
- Clitoridectomy: partial or total removal of the clitoris (a small, sensitive and erectile part of the female genitals) and, in very rare cases, only the prepuce (the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris).
- Excision: partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora (the labia are "the lips" that surround the vagina).
- Infibulation: narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal. The seal is formed by cutting and repositioning the inner, or outer, labia, with or without removal of the clitoris.
- Other: all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, e.g. pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area.
FGM is performed on girls ranging from infancy to age 15. FGM is a human rights abuse. It has no health benefits, and it harms girls and women in many ways. It involves removing and damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue, and interferes with the natural functions of girls' and women's bodies. There are both immediate and long-term implications for women and girls who have undergone the procedure.
FGM has persisted in many countries because of deeply held beliefs about controlling female sexuality, female "purity," and marriageability of women.
But now, as Celia Dugger reports in the New York Times, efforts to end FGM seem to have reached a tipping point, at least in the country of Senegal where more than 5,000 Senegalese villages have joined a growing movement to end the practice.
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It's a cultural and generational change that has built on persistent investments in educating village leaders and families about the harms caused by FGM. Dugger writes:
The change is happening without the billions of dollars that have poured into other global health priorities throughout the developing world in recent years. Even after campaigning against genital cutting for years, the United Nations has raised less than half the $44 million it set as the goal.
In Senegal, writes Dugger, "Tostan, a group whose name means "breakthrough" in Wolof, Senegal's dominant language, has had a major impact with an education program that seeks to build consensus, African-style, on the dangers of the practice, while being careful not to denounce it as barbaric as Western activists have been prone to do. Senegal's Parliament officially banned the practice over a decade ago, and the government has been very supportive of Tostan's efforts."
"Before you would never even dare to discuss this," said Mamadou Dia, governor of the Kolda region where this village is located. "It was taboo. Now you have thousands of people coming to abandon it."
Over the past 15 years, the drive to end the practice has gained such momentum, writes Dugger, "that a majority of Senegalese villages where genital cutting was commonplace have committed to stop it."
Now, "[w]ith too few resources to replicate Tostan's health and human rights classes across Africa, Nafissatou Diop, who coordinates the United Nations-led campaign to end the practice, is looking for quicker, cheaper strategies to change social conventions on cutting. Tostan has pursued an ambitious effort here with support from Unicef and others, but its two- to three-year program costs about $21,000 per village — a substantial sum considering the countless villages that continue the practice."
"The program is transformative, and I love that as an African woman," said Ms. Diop, who is Senegalese, "but we need to move faster."
What if, with the incredibly small sums of money needed by the United Nations campaign to fund these strategies across a continent, we could end FGM within the next ten to 15 years? Both UNICEF and UNFPA work to end FGM, though the GOP-led House of Representatives is seeking to eliminate funding for both.


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When Suunto ambassador William Trubridge attempts to break his own freediving world record in July, an underwater drone will follow his dive.
He and his team tested the drone, called the X-Adventurer Freetracker, during Vertical Blue 2016 and hope at next year's competition it will offer live video to audiences around the world.
It's mounted on parallel tracks adjacent to the competition dive line, and descends and ascends with the diver, capturing the entire journey from the surface to the plate and back again.
"For this year we just got a proof of concept," Will says, "but for next year's Vertical Blue we hope to have it hooked up to a live internet feed, so people can watch from the other side of the world while an athlete grabs the tag at 120 m."
"I think it's going to be a real game changer for the sport because once people can tune in and be in their living room watching someone dive to 100 m as it happens, then that will really increase the spectatorship of the sport."
Aside from making freediving more accessible to spectators, The X-Adventurer Freetracker will also improve safety. Never before have safety staff been able to see what's happening for an athlete at depth before. If anything goes wrong, the safety crew will see it immediately via a live feed at the surface.
"It will definitely help with analysis of technique also," Will says. "Because there's such a logistical difficulty in videographers going deeper than 40 m, a lot of freedivers have never seen what their technique looks like at depth from a good angle."
William is attempting to break his current world record of 101 m this July and the X-Adventurer Freetracker will follow his journey into the depths.
More on: www.suunto.com


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For as long as we've communicated they've also been ways to restrict it. In the present, every idea – be it written, verbally and musically is criticized first by someone or another. What seems like human right to one seems like rebellion to another. Expression, no matter through which medium, is always challenged and questioned. This was the main theme of the play last night. Beneath the humor, the rhythm and the choreography lay an important message – art, constantly the target of the Indian censor board. There were three characters that performed their best and made the crowd respond to each and every move. The director- Ajay Krishnan, too was part of the action. An onlooker. He looked very much like the director and the audience at the same time. It's been long since I've watched a play and seeing it last night only made me tell myself that I've got to do more of this in the future. So Runa and I decided to make it back to Rangashankara on Sunday for the play titled 'Double, Triples and Quadruples'. The posters looked interesting and I figured it's the best way to spend the Sunday evening.
Ajay Krishnan - Director
"Laugh lines :
"Our stars are not aligned. Your rahu is in my khetu" –
Vinod's response as a female politician to Gulshan's question about why they
cannot be together, as he presses against her.
"Dry humping is part of
Indian culture" – Gulshan's response as the senior censor official about why
pelvic thrusts shouldn't be banned in films."
I'm done with four trips through Coldplay's new album- 'Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends'. And good news for all you Coldplay fans- It's everything you wanted and expected to hear, maybe even better. When we heard the premier of the single 'Viva La Vida' on the radio, Runa thought that they had experimented with a new sound because there was none of that trademark piano sound. Hey Runa, good news! If you liked the old piano based Coldplay sound there are songs here for you. With the four boys fronted by Chris Martin each and every song on this album is unyielding and different from beginning to end. I highly recommend this album to all Coldplay and non- Coldplay fans. Kudos boys for the stellar work.
Yesterday, at the play I met an old friend- actually an old crush. Met him for the first time during Christmas of 2002. He was a tabla maestro, a photographer, a DJ and he had the weirdest hairstyles that made me adore him all the more. We spoke for hours on nights that seemed endless and when we'd meet it would be so hard to keep a straight face and not look hopelessly in love. He left to Mumbai a few years ago and I never heard from him until last night. It was great catching up with him. He looked rather ordinary with all that crazy hairstyling gone. Not that that's a bad thing.
For my late night caller. My new Coldplay favorite - 'Violet Hill'


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Adding the option of Online Giving at your parish is an easy way to increase and sustain your offertory throughout the year. Studies show parishes offering Online Giving see an average increase of 30% from those using the service. Let Our Sunday Visitor help your parish learn more during this informative webinar.
Your parishioners will love it:
Your staff will thank you:


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Get off my porch
But, what does that mean? Blah. Bring on a fall marathon.
Wow, nice!!!!!
Top 'O the World!
Wow! Kewl! Congrats.....when's your marathon?
& according to one comedian "expert", you only hafta be over 39 to be officially a "creepy old guy"
In it for the long run..
"It's not who wins the workout..."
Thanks, just feel like one 'cause of the youngsters I work with.........
Marathons coming up. Lousville, first sub 3:00 attempt(oct 18), bandit the monkey(nov), Rocket City(dec 12?), alternate for Louisville, if training, life, weather or whatever gets in the way.


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Astound US Inc is a new kind of Artist Representation business based in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, and now with offices in London.
We aim high - to Astound - by being the Agency with the best in contemporary children's book illustration, and both licensing and commercial art from around the world.
We back that up with excellence in every aspect: from the first presentation, to how we project manage, and all the way through to how we invoice.
We Astound by being good at what we do with a snappy, can-do, enthusiastic, talented and creative attitude. And yes, we're not expensive.
All those things that make for an 'astounding' outcome.
Our promise to artists: career advancement with the right clients, regular creative guidance, strong administrative support and on time payment
Drawn to better.
No matter where you are in the world or at whichever stage of your freelance artist career you may be, we're passionate about helping your career be more successful and rewarding by creating the art you love most! We are on your side: we'll give you insider's tips and client feedback for your folio development, and also introduce you directly to leading children's publishing houses, greeting card companies, jigsaw puzzle and game manufacturers, poster and decorative product suppliers (tableware, stationery)… the list goes on!
We're here to discuss the artistic direction you'd like to pursue and make that a reality with you.
Our positive relationships with our artists have made us the most rapidly growing Artist Agency in New York, possibly the USA. Here in the center of the publishing world, we are just a few subway stops away from the biggest brands worldwide, but we don't stay local - our agents travel everywhere to showcase your portfolio (and custom-made promotional materials!), from coast to coast in the USA, to major fairs in Europe: Frankfurt, Bologna, London and beyond.
We spread the word about your talent through personalized mail-outs, regular correspondence with close contacts in the industry, and online campaigns in addition to our state of the art site - all free to you!
Our partnership with Collaborate Agency's highly experienced team of editors and designers means that we can also support you in developing original children's book ideas into full-fledged storybooks and presentations, which we bring to the biggest children's book fairs of the year.
Best of all, we make sure you're paid right on time.
Astound us! If you'd like to learn more and be represented by Astound US, please email email@example.com with a sampling of your favorite pieces (8-10 .jpgs under 2MB each).
Astound Team!
Even on a Thursday, New York Comic Con was a whirlwind! As usual, the event drew a huge and diverse crowd. I had a few meetings on that very crowded show floor with industry professionals from top comics publishing companies. It's certainly a lively experience to discuss publishing strategy while an editor in chief hands out t-shirts or makes room for a child to pose with a cosplayer. Discussing licensed characters, for example, is especially interesting in an environment where there are eight foot tall displays and countless homemade costumes of these characters. Editors were interested in portfolios with a high level of skill (in pencils, inks and color all together) but also distinct portfolios that break the mold. Many companies are expanding into newer, including younger, markets and they want different looks to appeal to different demographics.


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You are hereFebruary 11, 2013
ALS patients' own stem cells show promise as a future treatment option
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a rapidly deteriorating neurological condition affecting five out of every 100,000 people worldwide, mainly after the age of 50. The average survival time is only three years.
While no effective treatment exists, preliminary studies suggest that the quality of life and even life expectancy itself could be improved in patients who receive stem cell infusions. However, questions remain about the capacity of these cells to "take hold" and turn into neurons.
The study involved stem cells that bear the surface antigen CD133+, which have been shown to have a very low association with creating cancers. These cells can be isolated from a wide range of sources including bone marrow, peripheral blood and umbilical cord. A group of researchers from the Tecnológico de Monterrey School of Medicine, in Monterrey, Mexico, led by Hector Martinez, M.D., Ph.D., Maria Teresa González-Garza, Ph.D., and Jorge Moreno Cuevas, M.D., Ph.D., recently reported on the effects of CD133+ stem cells taken from peripheral blood of affected patients and transplanted into their own brains.
"In this earlier trial, we provide evidence of a positive clinical response in ALS patients treated with auto-transplantation of CD133+ cells into the frontal motor cortex. However, there was an important question remaining to be answered: Were CD133+ cells obtained from ALS patients capable of transforming into neural cells? The present study demonstrated in a convincing manner the promise of CD133+ cells obtained from affected individual with ALS to transform into cells with neural potential," Dr. Martinez said.
The team collected CD133+ cells from 13 patients diagnosed with ALS and then grew the cells in the lab for a period lasting up to 48 hours. At the end of the two days, they saw an increase in neuronal proteins. This suggested that the stem cells were in the early stages of becoming neurons. Furthermore, the expression of some specific genes within the same time period indicated that the fate towards motor neurons, the neurons being destroyed in Lou Gehrig´s patients, was underway.
"No correlation was found between age, sex or ALS functional scale and the CD133+ stem cells response to the neuro-induction medium," Dr. González-Garza said. "Therefore, we concluded that CD133+ stem cells from ALS patients are capable of differentiating into pre-neuron cells, as well as the stem cells from healthy subjects."
"These new findings provide the scientific basis for the positive clinical observations in patients with ALS treated by autotransplantation with CD133+ cells in the frontal cortex. But more importantly, they also give credence to the field of stem cell transplantation in other potentially fatal neurodegenerative conditions," Dr. Cuevas added.
"This study may help explain the positive clinical outcomes obtained by stem cell transplantation in ALS patients and suggest the potential of stem cell therapy for conditions such as stroke and Parkinson's disease," said Anthony Atala, M.D., Editor of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine and director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
* * *
The full article, ""Differentiation of CD133+ stem cells from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients into pre-neuron cells," can be accessed at http://stemcellstm.alphamedpress.org/content/early/2013/01/21/sctm.2012-0077.abstract.
About STEM CELLS Translational Medicine: STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE (SCTM), published by AlphaMed Press, is a monthly peer-reviewed publication dedicated to significantly advancing the clinical utilization of stem cell molecular and cellular biology. By bridging stem cell research and clinical trials, SCTM will help move applications of these critical investigations closer to accepted best practices.
About AlphaMed Press: Established in 1983, AlphaMed Press with offices in Durham, NC, San Francisco, CA, and Belfast, Northern Ireland, publishes two other internationally renowned peer-reviewed journals: STEM CELLS (www.StemCells.com), celebrating its 31th anniversary in 2013, is the world's first journal devoted to this fast paced field of research. The Oncologist (www.TheOncologist.com), also a monthly peer-reviewed publication, entering its 18th year, is devoted to community and hospital-based oncologists and physicians entrusted with cancer patient care. All three journals are premier periodicals with globally recognized editorial boards dedicated to advancing knowledge and education in their focused disciplines.


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Unbeaten George Fox (Ore.) University
used a sizzling outside shooting performance Friday night to reach its
first NCAA Division III women's basketball championship game,
defeating The College of New Jersey, 67-52, in a national semifinal
game at DeVos Fieldhouse.
Unbeaten George Fox (Ore.) University
used a sizzling outside shooting performance Friday night to reach its
first NCAA Division III women's basketball championship game,
defeating The College of New Jersey, 67-52, in a national semifinal
game at DeVos Fieldhouse.
The Bruins (31-0) tied an NCAA tournament record with
14 3-point baskets in advancing to the 1 p.m. championship game
Saturday against Washington University of St. Louis (26-4), a 65-49
winner over Amherst (Mass.) College earlier Friday. The game will be
telecast on CBS College Sports and the audio broadcast can be heard on
the Internet at D3hoops.com.
George Fox, which has 10 freshmen on its 14-player
roster, broke open a close game early in the second half on the
strength of its deadly long-range shooting. Freshman Sage Indendi, who
led all scorers with 23 points, hit three of her six 3-pointers during
a 23-9 outburst that gave the Bruins a 57-35 lead with 14 minutes
remaining. TCNJ got no closer than 15 points the rest of the way.
"Once again, this young, young team didn't play young," George Fox coach Scott Rueck said. "They came out and competed from the beginning, like basketball players. Age didn't matter. It was another opportunity to go out and take on a challenge, and they met it."
Led by senior center Hillary Klimowicz, honored
Thursday as the national Division III player of the year by the
Women's Basketball Coaches Association, TCNJ (27-5) jumped out to an
early 7-3 lead, with Klimowicz scoring two baskets and Nicole Diaz
hitting a 3-point basket.
But the Bruins began to assert themselves, taking the
lead for the first time at 10-9 five minutes into the game, and for
good at 23-20 on Arianna Mohsenian's 3-point basket with five minutes
left in the half. Another 3-pointer, this one by Indendi, at the first
half buzzer gave the Bruins a 34-26 lead heading into the locker room
at halftime.
"We needed a dagger, and that gave us some momentum
going into the second half," Indendi said.
The Bruins shot 40 percent from the field (22 of 55)
for the game, but made 14 of 28 from 3-point range for 50 percent. The
14 3-pointers tied a tournament mark set in 2004 by Hardin-Simmons
(Texas) and matched in 2006 by Bridgewater (Va.).
George Fox also outrebounded the Lions 40-30 and
blocked six shots, five of them by 6-foot-4 center Kristen Shielee.
"We knew that Hillary was going to be handful on the
inside, and it kind of went as I hoped," Rueck said. "Kristen did a
great job slowing her down, making her take 19 shots to get her 19
points ... and I thought the rest of our team did a great job locking
down on the perimeter and staying with their shooters."
The Lions shot 38 percent from the field (21 of 55),
but made only 2 of 12 on 3-pointers.
"Certainly, George Fox is a great team. They've got
good balance," TCNJ coach Dawn Henderson said. "I think we played a
little timid in the face of their pressure. They did the things they
normally do, and we didn't do the things we do normally."
Shielee, George Fox's lone senior, added 15 points and
nine rebounds, and freshman Keisha Gordon added 12 points, including
three 3-pointers. Klimowicz led TCNJ with 19 points and nine rebounds,
and Kelsey Kutch added 14 points.
The Lions will play in the 10 a.m. third place game
against Amherst (29-3).


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We at the Bay Guardian were alerted today that San Francisco Recreation & Parks commissioners are poised to name a Golden Gate Park building after a conservationist who blogs openly about "illegal aliens," and has widely disseminated his view that environmentalists have been "silenced" on the subject of immigration "by intimidation and political correctness."
But prominent members of the environmental community say Jake Sigg, who worked as a gardener for the Recreation and Parks Department for 31 years, ought to be recognized for his years of contribution to San Francisco parklands.
A single agenda item for the May 1 meeting of the Operations Committee of the Rec & Parks Commission proposes renaming a Golden Gate Park facility located at 811 Stanyan Street as the Jake Sigg Stewardship Center. The building, which recently underwent a $2.3 million renovation, houses the headquarters for the department's volunteer and Natural Areas programs.
Sigg, who is in his late 80s, sends out a regular email newsletter to his personal list; it reportedly reaches thousands locally. He also posts content on his personal blog, naturenewssf.blogspot.com. While his emails contain an assortment of poetry and ruminations on the natural world, he's also been known to express his point of view on immigration – and it has not been well received. It's prompted rebukes from readers; some have characterized it as racist.
In an exchange from last May that is posted to his blog, a reader named Linda Hunter told Sigg she was offended by an installment in which he used the phrase "illegal aliens."
In response, Sigg wrote: "I'm not clear on what offends you, other than language. Undocumented workers are illegal aliens, so I don't understand your point. Trotting out racism is lazy and a refusal to think about a serious problem. I will repeat what I've said several times in the past: My concern on immigration derives solely from population pressures. If you are concerned about human numbers and what that is doing to the planet and to us, you cannot ignore immigration, especially when it is uncontrolled, as now."
In a private email sent by environmentalist Becky Evans last year and later published by Sigg, Evans said she was "dismayed by the anti-immigrant diatribe in your newsletter," saying, "all of us are descendants of immigrants except the few who are Native Americans."
In response, Sigg wrote:
"I am surprised at you, Becky, especially when you use stale, no longer relevant, arguments–such as being descendants of immigrants, &c. That is a dull old saw. This country seemed limitless in space and resources and we welcomed immigrants with open arms. Can you say that today?"
When we caught up with Sigg by phone he said he did not believe his views on immigration should be at all connected to the proposal to name the building after him, which stemmed from his decades-long track record as a leader of volunteers.
When we got into a discussion on immigration policy, he said, "I think that our immigration policies are too lax. The borders are too loose, and we need to stabilize our population. If someone wants to accuse me of racism, it just doesn't hold water. Racism is an implication that somehow and some way certain races are inferior to others and I find that idea absurd."
Regardless of what anyone thinks, Sigg has a First Amendment right to say whatever he wants.
But things get complicated when one considers that Rec & Park is about to name a public building – owned collectively by San Franciscans, in a city of immigrants designated as a safe zone for the undocumented – after Sigg, who isn't shy about broadcasting his opinion that undocumented people should be prevented from migrating by land from south of the Mexican border.
This idea of naming the building after Sigg has won the support of prominent environmentalists including Tom Radulovich of Livable City, San Francisco Environment Commissioner Ruth Gravanis, Nature in the City, San Francisco Laborers Union Local 261 and others in a formal letter submitted to the Operations Committee. Unclear is whether supporters know of his views on immigration, or even care or believe it should have any bearing on naming the building.
There's also a murky political backstory. Brent Plater, executive director of Wild Equity, told us that the whole thing stems from an ongoing controversy over Sharp Park.
The idea of naming the building after Sigg originated with Phil Ginsburg, who directs the city's Rec & Park Department. Sigg is aligned with Ginsburg in the belief that Rec & Park should move forward with a Significant Natural Resource Areas management plan, which would generally do positive things for natural lands yet contains provisions that many environmentalists oppose, given the negative ramifications they would have for Sharp Park.
"The vast majority of the environmental community opposes this plan – except Jake Sigg," Plater explained. "To reward Jake for this, Phil wants to put Jake's name on a building."
In response to that idea, Sigg said it had no merit, saying, "People just imagine these things … They just want to poke Rec & Park in the eye."
Meanwhile, Wild Equity and other environmentalists are suing Rec & Park over its planned construction at Sharp Park, the subject of a long battle over how the area's golf course impacts two endangered species: the San Francisco garter snake and the California red-legged frog.
Sigg said he thought the lawsuit had no merit and would hold up the management plan, which he hopes to see advance.
It will be interesting to see what the commissioners do with this one. Will Sigg's views on immigration be deemed irrelevant to the decision over whether or not to name a public San Francisco building after him, as he believes is appropriate?
We left messages for Rec & Park but we did not receive a call back by press time.


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Only want to carry the bare necessities with you? Check out this clever silicone stick-on cell phone pocket--featuring an attractive TripleClicks logo.
The pocket measures approximately 2-1/4" x 3-1/4" and comes with an adhesive backing that sticks securely to the back of your cell phone, yet leaves no sticky residue when removed. You can store your credit cards, IDs, hotel room key cards, gym passes, or business cards safely and securely.
Perfect for quick trips to the store, crowded concerts, gym visits, business trips and much more, the TripleClicks Cell Phone Pocket also makes the perfect gift for anyone on the go!
Available in sets of two. Lime green only.


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Michael McKean likes to keep busy. With his new show "Family Tree" currently airing on HBO, McKean is now following up his performance in "Gore Vidal's The Best Man" on Broadway with political comedy "Yes, Prime Minister" at the Geffen Playhouse.
McKean's most recent work proves that developing relationships is important to him. While McKean was working on "The Best Man," writer-director Jonathan Lynn came to see the show. Shortly after, Lynn contacted McKean to offer him the role in "Prime Minister." Since he was already familiar with the British TV series on which the play is based, he was excited to join the production. And his role on "Family Tree" came about through his relationship with Christopher Guest. Although McKean initially suggested a few British actors to play the role, Guest ended up asking McKean to do the role.
McKean has a special affection for the theater. "When you're on the stage, every night it's like a tightrope," he says. "You have to be there and everybody counts on you and you count on everybody else and it's just more of a spirit of community." McKean offers some advice on maintaining a long acting career.
Keep it real.
McKean is a fan of Lynn's directing style and believes that it's important to keep a performance grounded in reality to make farce work. "If you're going to make a really silly story, everyone on stage has to take it very seriously or it's not going to be funny at all," he says. "That's kind of our job. To keep it on the level. To keep it where nobody's exaggerating for effect."
Variety is the spice of life.
After his role on "Laverne and Shirley," McKean found he was getting lots of offer to play other silly, idiotic parts. "I didn't want to do those because I already had and I knew instinctively that if you do something more than once people start to think that's all you can do," he says. "If you do the same thing three times then they're convinced. So I tried to change it up a little bit." He made sure to play very different characters in "Young Doctors in Love" and "This Is Spinal Tap." Throughout his career, McKean says, "I've done a few roles that were very similar and an alarm just kind of goes off and I go, 'You know what, let's pass on the next one.' "
Be your own brand.
"If at all possible, be the only place they can get what you do," says McKean, citing Cary Grant and Sandra Bullock as examples. Another example would be Bill Murray. "If Bill Murray is not going to do the part that you wrote perfectly for Bill Murray, you might as well not do it," McKean says.
Stay calm.
Even though auditions are stressful, it's important to stay calm. "If you're at an interview and you're terrified, there's really nothing to be afraid of, because the worse thing they could do to you is not give you the part, and guess what? You already don't have the part," he says. "You walked in there without the part, so that ship has sailed—just go in and have as much fun as you can."
Be open to the unexpected.
At one point, McKean dreamed of playing King Lear, but after playing such a wide variety of characters, he's changed his perspective. "It's all what looks like fun and what looks playable and what looks like I might be the right guy," he says. "And then I try for it and sometimes it works." He's already fulfilled one of his dreams: to be in a Broadway musical. (He's done two: "Hairspray" and "The Pajama Game.") "I've learned from life that you really don't know what's around the corner," he says. "I didn't know Jonathan Lynn was going to come see 'The Best Man' and offer me the lead. He's never heard of me." So he just embraces the opportunities that come his way.
Work with what you've got.
With guest star credits ranging from comedy to drama to sci-fi to animation, McKean has learned to just jump into the role, since there's usually very little information or preparation time. For a short scene in Season One of "Homeland" McKean arrived in Charlotte, N.C. "I met the director [Michael Cuesta] on the set, met Mandy Patinkin on the set, and we chatted a little bit and it was all there in the words," he says. "The two characters that we were told the story; I didn't really have to ask too much. There's some dark secret that my character, this judge, is holding onto that makes him vulnerable, but I could supply my own because they didn't have anything to give me necessarily." With "Curb Your Enthusiasm," McKean was given the basics and then had to run with it. "That's all improvised, like the Guest films are. So I just go and I do what I do and that's it," he explains. But make sure you understand your character so the audience can. "Don't say something if you don't know what it means because it's not going to make any sense," he says.


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Alicia Keys' rendition of the National Anthem at Sunday's Super Bowl was the longest ever performed at the game.
According to USA Today, Keys' performance clocked in at 156.4 seconds, beating Natalie Cole's 1994 performance by 4.4 seconds.
Did you enjoy Beyonce's Super Bowl halftime show?
Keys not only sang, but also played the piano as she delivered the song from the 50-yard line before kickoff. The pre-game festivities also featured Jennifer Hudson performing "America the Beautiful" with the Sandy Hook Elementary School chorus.
Did you see the performances? What did you think?


text:
Multi-vitamins + Herbs + Minerals
Immune • Stress • Hormone Support
Formulated specifically for the needs of active women
Recognized by the body as food
Easily digested' even on an empty stomach
All of New Chapter's Multi-vitamins are probiotic and whole. The herbs and cultured whole-food vitamins & minerals in each formulation work together to promote optimal health and deliver condition-specific benefits – not just address nutrient deficiencies. The nutrient needs of men and women can be vastly different – the same can be said for people under forty versus over forty. New Chapter's formulation team takes exacting care with each nutrient in all of our targeted daily Multi-vitamins to benefit the specific needs of the individual.
Herbs and cultured whole-food vitamins & minerals work together to promote optimal health and condition- specific benefits – not just address nutrient deficiencies.
Every Woman is an whole-food multi-vitamin formulated specifically for the needs of active women under the age of 40.
Energizing herbs including maca and schizandra provide stress support and promote dynamic energy levels.
Cultured herbal blends provide energy & stress support and promote hormone' immune system' heart' and digestive health.
Two-a-day formula is easy-to-take' easy-to-digest' and can be taken anytime – even on an empty stomach!
The Whole Truth About Cultured Soy
Cultured soy is one of the five sacred grains of the Chinese herbal tradition and is the foundation of "superfoods" such as tempeh and miso. Traditional cultures consumed soy only if it was fermented – for good reason. While non-fermented soy can disrupt absorption and normal activity of nutritive compounds' modern science has found that cultured soy actually enhances nutritive bioavailability and promotes normal cell growth' heart' and bone health.
New Chapter Multis utilize only fermented soy to deliver these compelling benefits supported by each formula's whole-food vitamins' minerals and herbs.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are not meant to diagnose' treat or cure any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before starting any exercise or nutritional supplement program or before using these or any product during pregnancy or if you have a serious medical condition.
Certified Organic by International Certification Services' Inc.' USA
Serving size 2 Tablets
Amount per 2 Tablets % Daily Value
Probiotic Nutrients™
Vitamin A † (100% as beta-carotene) 5000 IU 100%
Vitamin C † 60 mg 100%
Vitamin D3 † 1000 IU 250%
Vitamin E † 30 IU 100%
Vitamin K1 † 70 mcg 88%
Vitamin K2 (MK-7) 10 mcg 12%
Thiamin-Vitamin B1 † 4 mg 267%
Riboflavin-Vitamin B2 † 5 mg 294%
Niacin † 20 mg 100%
Vitamin B6 † 5 mg 250%
Folate † 400 mcg 100%
Vitamin B12 † 30 mcg 500%
Biotin † 300 mcg 100%
Pantothenic Acid † 25 mg 250%
Calcium (from Algae ‡) 50 mg 5%
Iron † 9 mg 50%
Iodine † 75 mcg 50%
Magnesium † (70% cultured; 30% from Algae ‡) 10 mg 2%
Zinc † 7.5 mg 50%
Selenium † 100 mcg 143%
Copper † 750 mcg 38%
Manganese † 2 mg 100%
Chromium † 100 mcg 83%
Molybdenum † 10 mcg 13%
Mixed Carotenoids † 3 mg ^
Herbal Blends
Stress/Energy Support Blend † 90 mg ^
[Organic Schizandra (berry); Organic Maca (root); Organic Chamomile (flower)]
Hormone Support Blend † 90 mg ^
[Organic Chaste Tree (berry); Organic Red Clover (flower); Organic Raspberry (leaf )]
Immune Support Blend† 60 mg ^
[Elderberry Extract (Sambucus nigra) (berry); Organic Eleuthero (root); Organic Astragalus (root)]
Digestive Support Blend † 45 mg ^
[Organic Aloe (leaf ); Organic Peppermint (leaf ); Organic Coriander (seed); Organic Cardamom (seed); Organic Artichoke (leaf )]
Cardio Support Blend † 30 mg ^
[Organic Fenugreek (seed); Organic Oregano (leaf); Grapeseed Extract (not cultured); Organic Hawthorn (berry and seed)]
Herbal Extracts
Turmeric (rhizome) 4.8 mg organic hydroethanolic extract and 1.2 mg organic supercritical extract 6 mg ^
Ginger (rhizome) 2.4 mg hydroethanolic extract and 0.6 mg organic supercritical extract 3 mg ^
^ Daily value not established
‡ Lithothamnion: (L. calcareum and L. corallioides)
† Nutrients and herbs are cultured in organic media that may contain: organic milled soy' Saccharomyces cerevisiae (organic yeast: active and inactive)' organic maltodextrin' organic gum acacia' organic orange and lemon peel' organic carrot powder' organic alfalfa powder' Lactobacilli (L. acidophilus' L. bifidus' L. rhamnosus) and enzymes (deactivated).
Other ingredients: Organic gum acacia' silica' lac resin' carnauba wax and sunflower oil.
Contains: Fermented soy.
Naturally gluten free.
100% vegetarian; no artificial flavors or colors.
Two tablets daily. Can be taken anytime' even on an empty stomach.
Caution: As with any dietary or herbal supplement' you should advise your healthcare practitioner of the use of this product. If you are nursing' pregnant' or considering pregnancy' you should consult your healthcare practitioner prior to using this product.
WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose' call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
Allergy / Dietary Needs
- Gluten Free
- GMO Free
- Kosher
- Organic
- Vegetarian


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Casa Italiana Language School
Specialty Program Camp: Creativity Program
Both Boy's and Girl's Camps - Day Camp
Religious Affiliation: None
Washington,, Washington D.C., USA - (202) 638-1348
Casa Italiana Language School CAMP is for children ages 6 to 12. It runs from June 23 to July 18. This four weeks camp focuses on Italian language acquisition, Arts & Crafts, Cooking, Drama, Soccer and games from Italy. We provide healthy snacks, drinks and fun. Full & Half days (DC, MD & No.VA)


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Home › Classroom Resources › Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan
Descriptive Video: Using Media Technology to Enhance Writing
|3 – 5
|Lesson Plan Type
|Standard Lesson
|Estimated Time
|One 45-minute session
|Lesson Author
Ridley Park, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
This lesson helps students improve their writing abilities and their attention to details while experiencing a new technology called Descriptive Video. Also known as described programming, Descriptive Video refers to programming with an additional audio track that narrates a film's visual elements. Students watch the opening scene of the standard version of the Disney film The Lion King and write a description of it. They then watch the same opening scene with the descriptions and captions available online at the National Center for Accessible Media. They will write another descriptive summary on this scene. Students share their two writing samples aloud and compare their pre- and post-audio descriptions.
- Compare & Contrast Map: Students can use this tool to map out their response to similarities and differences between the two summaries of the scene from The Lion King.
- Venn Diagram: This tool allows students to easily organize the similarities and differences between the two summaries of the opening scene from The Lion King.
Hoffner, H., Baker, E., & Quinn, K.B. (2008). Lights, cameras, pencils! Using Descriptive Video to enhance writing. The Reading Teacher, 61(7) 576579.
- Descriptive Video (also known as described programming) is a technology that was developed to help individuals with visual impairments enjoy films and television programs. A Descriptive Video program has an additional audio track that can be activated by using the Secondary Audio Program (SAP) feature on a television, videocassette recorder (VCR), or DVD player. This additional audio track contains narration to explain a film's visual elements such as an unusual costume, an actor's gestures, or a car chase scene.
- Although Descriptive Video technology was developed to assist individuals with visual impairments, it can be used to help all students build their vocabulary, comprehension, and writing ability.
- Teachers can use Descriptive Video technology to differentiate instruction. Described programming gives students models of highly descriptive writing. Some students are able to use these models and improve their writing with relative independence. Other students require greater scaffolding.


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What the U.S.'s "Apolo-jee" to Pakistan really means.
There is jubilation among Pakistan's social media commentators on the apology (hereinafter referred to as "apolo-jee") apparently tendered by the U.S. to Pakistan on account of the deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers last November at the Salala checkpost near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. If these narratives are to be believed, then the U.S. has, after months of resistance, accepted culpability for the murder of the Pakistani soldiers and apologized to the Pakistani government for its transgression.
Moreover, little David, financially bankrupt and increasingly running out of room to maneuver, stood up nonetheless to Goliath; and would you believe it, Goliath backed down. It's a beautiful little tale, and one that will no doubt leave many teary-eyed. But really, what did the U.S. say today that it hasn't said on several occasions since November 26, 2011?
U.S. Secretary of State Hilliary Clinton's office released this statement to the press:
This morning, I spoke by telephone with Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.
I once again reiterated our deepest regrets for the tragic incident in Salala last November. I offered our sincere condolences to the families of the Pakistani soldiers who lost their lives. Foreign Minister Khar and I acknowledged the mistakes that resulted in the loss of Pakistani military lives. We are sorry for the losses suffered by the Pakistani military. We are committed to working closely with Pakistan and Afghanistan to prevent this from ever happening again.
As I told the former Prime Minister of Pakistan days after the Salala incident, America respects Pakistan's sovereignty and is committed to working together in pursuit of shared objectives on the basis of mutual interests and mutual respect. [U.S. Department of State]
Let's examine this "apolo-jee," shall we? First, a reiteration of a regret does not an apology amounting to acceptance of culpability make. Second, apparently, both Pakistan and the U.S. acknowledged the "mistakes" made that resulted in the loss of Pakistan's military lives. But whose mistakes? Vague. Third, "we are sorry for the losses suffered by the Pakistan military"? Losses? What losses, and suffered where? The Pakistani armed forces have a rich and storied history of suffering losses, as anyone in India can tell you. Pakistan's own politicians, military officials and commentators are quick to remind the world that it has lost 40,000 of its finest supporting "America's War." Sec. Clinton's statement is, therefore, hardly an apology for Salala.
Furthermore, Sec. Clinton's statements say nothing that the U.S. has not already said about the incident. NATO's secretary general expressed "regret" a mere two days after the Salala incident. The outgoing U.S. ambassador to Pakistan regretted the incident too. In fact, various Obama administration officials had "regretted" the incident about 20 times. So pray, why is regret #21 the charm?
The fact of the matter is, Pakistan had put itself into a position whether it could neither back down from a costly confrontation with the U.S., for domestic political reasons, nor continue to impede the U.S., given its economic condition. Both Pakistan and the U.S. had previously attempted to arrive at a settlement, but these negotiations proved inconclusive due to Pakistan's demand for both an apology, and transit fee of $5,000 per truck that crossed its territory.
Now, if this was a "soft apology," today's statement certainly did not say "we're sorry we killed your soldiers." And per the New York Times, Pakistan has agreed to keep the transit fee at its current rate of $250 per truck. So Pakistan is 0-for-2 in its demands to the U.S., but has nonetheless opened up its on-land supply routes to NATO. Still feel like David won?
Quite simply, Pakistan had ratcheted up the rhetoric to a point where it couldn't climb down without losing face. The U.S. had two options — allow Pakistan to continue to squirm, or work out an arrangement with Pakistan to re-open on-land supply routes. It chose the latter, allowing Pakistan's civilian and military leadership to step back from the brink without suffering yet another humiliating surrender at the hands of the U.S. Pakistan, for its part, was more than revealed.
If any further clarity was needed, the conspicuous absence of any Difa-e-Pakistan Council crazies, whose leaders had previous organized mass protests and even written an "open letter" to Pakistan's parliamentarians urging no compromise on reopening supply routes, provides us enough context to the apology that never was.


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Smartphone thefts becoming more common in Connecticut, nation
NEW HAVEN -- If you feel safer talking to your boyfriend on the phone while walking across the Green at night during your journey home, think again.
Following a national trend, about one-third of all muggings and robberies in the city involve cellphones -- a phenomenon known in nefarious and law enforcement circles as "Apple picking."
Smartphones -- which can be resold by thieves for hundreds of dollars -- have become a favorite target, particularly Apple's popular iPhone.
"What you have is a black market for the smartphone, and, in particular, the iPhone," said New Haven police Sgt. Al Vazquez, who heads the detective division.
A newer-model phone can fetch a robber a quick $200 or so at some mobile phone stores that buy used phones with no questions asked. Even at that price, the store can still sell it for a profit, Vazquez said.
But by no means is the problem exclusive to New Haven.
This week, speaking before the International Association of Chiefs of Police, New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said thefts of Apple products, including iPhones and iPad tablets, have jumped by 40 percent this year in New York. The release of the new iPhone 5 isn't expected to reduce those numbers.
According to Kelly, were it not for Apple-related thefts and robberies, the overall crime rate in New York City would have fallen so far this year. As it is, the crime rate has increased by about 4 percent.
Even tracking devices, such the Find My iPhone app, offer no guarantee: The tracker won't work when the phone is off, and if a stolen phone isn't password protected, a thief who knows his way around an iPhone can manually disable the feature, Vazquez said.
Some statistics from the Federal Communications Commission might help illustrate the scope of the problem.
According to the FCC, the percentage of Americans with smartphones doubled in the last year, going from about 25 percent of subscribers to more than 50 percent. Commercial tablets didn't even exist in early 2010, and Apple sold 2 million iPads in one weekend.
"But the rapid adoption of smartphones and tablets is also creating very real safety concerns. The numbers are alarming," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowksi said earlier this year. "In (Washington) D.C., New York and other major cities, roughly 40 percent of all robberies now involve cellphones -- endangering both the physical safety of victims and the safety of the personal information on stolen devices."
New Haven Police Chief Dean Esserman said there's certainly a black market for smartphones, but said some of the phones also are being stolen to use, since certain phones convey status. He likened the current issue to problems with car thefts in the 1980s. Police alone didn't cut down on thefts but rather it was a collaboration with the auto industry to install anti-theft devices such as kill switches and, later, newer technology.
He said police will pursue the same type of cooperation from the cellphone industry.
Asked whether the industry was doing enough to combat thefts, Esserman said: "No one is ever doing enough."
"We're going to have to engage the industry," he said.
While it is not yet instituted, the FCC and the four largest wireless carriers are working to create a national database aimed at helping to reduce thefts. The concept is simple: The four carriers will create databases and prevent phones that are reported stolen from being reactivated by a new user.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Verizon and Sprint already block stolen phones from being reactivated, while AT&T and T-Mobile do not.
The hope is that preventing reactivation will drive down black market values, which may serve as a deterrent to criminals.
According to Vazquez, officials from Yale University and the police department tried to create a dialogue recently with Apple corporate offices, perhaps to have employees ask for identification when someone seeks to trade in or wipe the memory of a phone.
Apple also has worked to build theft deterrents into its devices. In 2009, the company launched a Find My iPhone service that helps users track and remotely lock and wipe devices that have been lost or stolen.
To try to combat thefts, the NYPD set up booths outside Apple stores where gleeful New Yorkers were buying the new iPhone 5 last month, to give owners information on how to activate technology that would help recover lost or stolen phones. Police also registered cellphone serial numbers along with the owners' names and contact information. So far, the department has registered more than 1,500 new phones -- and owners can have their items engraved with a unique number prefaced with "NYC."
Authorities say part of the problem is that people are paying too much attention to their phones and not enough attention to their surroundings.
Walking down Broadway recently, Alex McLeod, 18, a Yale freshman, had his head down, tapping on the keyboard of his iPhone. He probably wouldn't do that at night, he said, if he were walking downtown.
At freshman orientation, he said, campus officials cautioned students about "being smart walking around by not showing off their valuables," he said. "A phone certainly is a valuable."
Call William Kaempffer at 203-789-5727. The Associated Press contributed to this story.


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|Ignacio Galarza
|August 3 2011 10:12pm
|MySQL Installer 220.127.116.11 RC4 has been released
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Dear MySQL users, MySQL Installer 126.96.36.199 RC4 has been released. This is the final, final release candidate before GA so your feedback is greatly appreciated. MySQL Installer is the all-in-one installation solution for all your MySQL software needs. It comes with the latest MySQL Server and related components (MySQL Workbench, Connectors, and documentation) and includes wizards to help with the installation and configuration. For more information on MySQL Installer and to download the software please visit<http://dev.mysql.com/tech-resources/articles/mysql-installer-for-windows.html> http://dev.mysql.com/tech-resources/articles/mysql-installer-for-windows.html. Please report any problems you have at http://bugs.mysql.com using the category 'MySQL Installer'. Some of the products included in this package are: MySQL Server 5.5.14 MySQL Workbench 188.8.131.52 MySQL Connector/ODBC 5.1.8 MySQL Connector/C++ 1.1.0 MySQL Connector/C 6.0.2 MySQL Connector/J 5.1.15 MySQL Connector/Net 6.3.7 Thank you for your interest in MySQL Installer!
|• MySQL Installer 188.8.131.52 RC4 has been released
|Ignacio Galarza
|4 Aug


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BA Spanish and Portuguese / Overview
Year of entry: 2020
- View tabs
- View full page
- Degree awarded
- Duration
- 4 years
- Typical A-level offer
- Typical contextual A-level offer (what is this?)
BBB including one of the languages to be studied
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer
34 points overall. 6,5,5 in Higher Level subjects including one of the languages to be studied.
- How to apply
- Apply through UCAS
Course overview
- Perfect your expertise in two languages and extend your knowledge of a wide range of countries and cultures.
- Spend your third year studying or working abroad in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking in countries.
- Study at a university ranked 5th in the UK for Modern Languages (QS World University Rankings 2019).
Open days
Our open days are a great opportunity for you to:
- get a taste for campus life and the city more broadly;
- find out about our subject areas and courses from current students and academic staff;
- explore our facilities through self-guided and dedicated tours;
- gain insight into your subject area through talks and taster sessions;
- ask questions and gather all the additional information you need to help with your decision-making.
Find out more about our forthcoming open days , including how to register.
Tuition fees for home/EU students commencing their studies in September 2020 will be £9,250 per annum. Tuition fees for international students will be £19,000 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Residence Abroad Support We offer dedicated financial support packages of up to £2,000 for residence abroad students, based on household income. You will be automatically assessed for this, based on your Student Finance finance assessment - you just need to make sure you apply for a financial assessment in the academic year in which your residence abroad will take place.
RWS Brode Scholarship You may be eligible for this scholarship if you fulfil the following conditions:
- Your qualifications were achieved at a state-funded school in the UK
- your total household income does not exceed £60K (as verified by the Student Loan Company)
- You achieve high marks in your A-levels (or equivalent qualifications), usually AAB or above
- You apply to (and remain on) either a single honours Language programme, or a dual-language programme
Awards will be made according to a sliding scale, benefitting those who have the achieved the highest marks, whilst being from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. Again, you will be automatically assessed for this, after you have registered on your degree programme. You simply need to make sure you allow the University access to your records when applying for your Student Loan (we cannot otherwise assess your eligibility).
Contact details
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You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.


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It didn't matter whether you were a celebrity or a local person from the community just wanting to help the horses at Old Friends Equine, the event's beneficiary, Ferdinand's Ball Founders Kim Boyle and Aimee Wulfeck made sure all guests were treated like royalty.
More than 300 Guests entered the Gala by walking the red carpet and getting their photo snapped in front of the event's backdrop by photographers. They were then shuffled into the amazing Frazier International History Museum, which provided a great backdrop for the event, to enjoy pre-event cocktails and browse among the Museum's displays and the wares of Derby Hats by Maddy Moo and Trixie Too, Judith Ripka Fine Jewelry Bar, and Sarabella James Handbags. Bow Ties by Dhani Jones, founder of Bow Tie Cause, were also available.
At 9 pm guests entered the Museum loft area for the main event where Louisville's premiere party band, The Louisville Crashers, awaited to entertain them, and entertain them they did. Guests then enjoyed gourmet food by Masterson's Catering, open bar provided by Bulleit Bourbon, Tito's Vodka, and Arabella Wines, and Bluegrass Brewing Company, and toe curling chocolates by Cellar Door Chocolates. Photo Booth Live was a big hit among the decked out guests who posed in front of the camera and then had their photos displayed up on a big screen for everyone to watch through out the night.
Terry Meiners and friends sing along with Louisville Crasher Mark Maxwell.
An extensive selection of silent auction items were displayed ranging from artwork, signed horse racing related items, sports items, and a piece of original artwork rendered during the event by Equine Artist Donna Bernstein.
Event host Brandi Granville, of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" fame, flew in from California for the event. Hall of Fame and Kentucky Derby Jockey Kent DesOrmeaux was there to receive the Ferdinand's Award, legendary Hall of Fame Jockey Jorge Valasquez; who rode Alydar and won the Kentucky Derby aboard Pleasant Colony, jockeys Jean Cruguet, George Harrison, and Bobby Ussery, Brian O'Holloran; who is the star of Gen-X classic "Clerks", NBA/L.A. Lakers Scout Bonnie-Jill Laflin, ESPN NASCAR expert Hollie Huggins, 2011 Miss Kentucky Ann-Blair Thornton, and local favorite Terry Meiners; on-air personality for 84 Whas, were some of the guests in attendance. Many guests were affiliated with the horse industry or big supporters of Old Friends Equine and their mission of making sure retired Thoroughbreds get a well earned safe and dignified retirement.
Brandi Granville spoke about how the cause, Old Friends Equine, really resonated with her when she was approached about coming and hosting Ferdinand's Ball.
I think the favorite part of the night of mine, and of those in attendance, was when Jockey DesOrmeaux was presented with the Ferdinand's Award for his undying support of Old Friends and for his commitment to the ethical retirement of thoroughbred horses, also for pulling up Big Brown in the 140th Belmont Stakes when he realized something just wasn't right with the horse. He was criticized by some in the racing industry for doing it. DesOrmeaux said he can sleep at night for not making the horse, that was obviously in distress, continue to run. He made an impassioned speech on why he felt it was so important for guests to support Old Friends Equine. DesOrmeaux said, " We are all here because we love horses." He said there are at least five horses retired at Old Friends that he has ridden. He went on to say that after they have ran and won people forget about them after they are done racing, but not Michael Blowen and Old Friends Equine. At the end of his speech he walked right up to Louisville.com photographer, Anna Blanton, who was up front taking photos of him, and looked her in the face and declared he was going to WIN the Kentucky Derby this year, this ignited cheers from the guests. DesOrmeaux will be riding Dullahan in Kentucky Derby 138.
Old Friends founder, Michael Blowen, said that there are now 119 Thoroughbreds under the care of Old Friends. He thanked everyone for coming out to Ferdinand's Ball and supporting the Old Friend's horses.
In summing up the event Ferdinand's Ball Founders Kim Boyle and Aimee Wulfeck did a wonderful job, this event was a great success raising thousands for the horses at Old Friends Equine. Browse through some of the images of the Ball below.
Photos: Courtesy of Anna Blanton


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Join the Classic Castle set review discussion. Please post your opinions on the set play ability, piece selection, design, etc. Which sets stand up to our catapult of critique and which ones crumble in shame!
This week's set is 6004 Crossbow Cart.
Crossbow Cart was released in 1997 for the Fright Nights. This crossbow-firing cart is pushed by a siege worker and includes various weapons and shields.


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Viewing posts from: March 1976
Brahan Springs Natatorium | Natatorium Design
The City of Huntsville's Brahan Spring Natatorium has been billed as the"fastest water in the South".The Milberger Architectural Group's premier strength is its research and development. When new and innovative techniques and skills are required they have the ability to ask questions and get answers. Their success in Natatorium Design is a landmark to the community.
by Bettye in Government, Recreation | 0 comments


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A fast-paced company in Johannesburg is looking for PHP developers.
They are looking to employ an ambitious and committed person that wants to go places, grow with the company and make an impact on the world.
They also work on a number of exciting and high-profile local and international media projects, thus looking for someone who is up for a challenge.
PHP 5+ / CakePHP / ZendWordpress knowledge is beneficialDatabase development using MySQL and SQL ServerBasic understanding of Linux command line and shell scriptingAt least 2-4 years experienceAJAX / Advanced Javascript and DOM model engineering, both with and without the assistance of frameworksXHTML / CSS styling and page layoutMust have experience working with Wordpress.
Some Drupal experience would be a big plusThese skills would be a big plus : Design skillsThe position would suit a mid-level candidate, ideally someone who wants to grow and take on new and more responsibility as the company expands its presence.
Interested candidates can forward their comprehensive written applications to the following e-mail : it.jobs(at)hireresolve.
co.za or fax to : 086 600 7977, you can also contact Sharne on 011 807 8064Correspondence will only be conducted with short listed candidates.
Should you not hear from us within 3 working days after the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.
Hire Resolve offers a R1000 for any candidate that is referred and placed through Hire Resolve.
Hire Resolve also offers a R1000 job spec fee for any referral that results in a placement through Hire Resolve.
If your company is looking for any IT, Finance or Engineering staff, please email us at jobspec hireresolve.co.za with the company name, a contact person and contact email or number of the person doing the hiring.
We will keep the referral strictly confidential.


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Handmade Maimana Kilim | 301 x 201 cm
Size: 301 x 201 cm
Material: Wool
Origin: Maimana, Afghanistan
Construction: Handmade
Construction time: Approximately 4 months with 2 skilled rug weavers.
Style: Kilims are woven without a pile, which means you can use both sides. Maimana kilims are world famous for it's geometrical patterns and rich colours. These kilims are woven in Maimana, which is located in Northern Afghanistan.
Stock Number: ZR55


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Benu, chef-owner Corey Lee rise to 4-star level
From Hawthorne Street, where windows afford a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Benu, the brightly lit and modern kitchen looks like an elaborate stage set. Long panes of glass create an aquarium-like view, with white-coated chefs moving with grace and skill around the room. Whether the food is good or bad, you know immediately that this is a four-star kitchen.
As you turn the corner into the courtyard, the kitchen is still visible, but walking toward the entrance, the kitchen scene melts into an outdoor courtyard and then into the 66-seat dining room awash in black, white and gray.
The black resin tables trimmed in light wood are bare, and the waiters are in brown aprons and shirts; only the sommeliers and mangers wear suits and ties. It's sleek and minimal, as if chef-owner Corey Lee wants you to concentrate on the plates rather than the room.
Every night he creates a 17-course fixed-price menu ($180); a la carte dishes are also offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
When the first course arrives, you know the meal is going to be special and very different from other restaurants that look mainly toward Europe. The slightly rubbery purplish quail egg, nesting on shards of ginger, rises above a creamy potage and is framed by a ginger emulsion.
This juxtaposition of classic Asian ingredients and focused preparations follows through the 17 courses, where some of Lee's highly refined combinations make few concessions to the American palate. He takes the authentic textures of Asian ingredients, mixes them with his Western training, and gives everything a breathtaking twist. No other four-star chef is so in tune with the Asian culture and uses it to inform every aspect of the experience.
Lee, who was the chef de cuisine for four years at the French Laundry, took a big leap to open a high-end restaurant in San Francisco.
Like another popular chef, Grant Achatz of Alinea in Chicago, he took what he learned from the master, Thomas Keller, and made it his own. Right out of the gate, Lee earned 3 1/2 stars from The Chronicle, and this year was awarded two Michelin stars.
Distinctive elements
Now, a year later after I first reviewed Benu, Lee's food has become even more refined. He's sharpened his point of view, and the Asian side of the menu emerges even more strongly. He's certainly a Western chef, but he doesn't shy away from some of the distinctive elements cherished by Asian cultures that are sometimes rejected by American palates.
One of his dishes features sea cucumber, which has a slightly rubbery and gelatinous texture not unlike long-cooked cartilage. He stuffs it with sweet shrimp mousse and arranges it on the top third of an oversize plate, on a boomerang-shaped pool of brick-red fermented pepper sauce with precisely placed delicate balls of cucumber, each set with a single micro basil leaf.
Lee's glutinous rice cakes made with pine nut flour and truffles have the tubular look of gnocchi. They're dotted with shavings of truffles and surrounded by a rich sauce made from the water used to cook the rice, along with pumpkin juice and butter. The plate is then finished with pea-size balls of bright orange pumpkin, pine nuts and a few delicate parsley leaves, so perfect that you know somebody probably rejected a hundred leaves before finding the right ones.
Diners who expect a soft gnocchi texture will be surprised because the fat pellets are slightly chewy, exactly how really good rice cakes should be.
Modern techniques
The chef also is not afraid to mix cultures, always with rousing success. One course, for example, consisted of two soup dumplings filled with foie gras and arranged on a white riser so they look like a target, with concentric rings surrounding a small dish of dipping vinegar. The delicate wrapper, the gush of liquid and the explosion of foie gras was astounding, with a little hint of the pungent vinegar sauce clinging to the back of the throat. It was almost too much to take in with one bite, but fortunately there was another; even though we knew what to expect, it was just as exciting.
Lee uses the modern techniques in all the right ways - they surprise but never distract from other elements.
One of the most artful is an edible amber container, as translucent as glass, that layers braised pork belly, kimchi creme fraiche and foam, holding a single chilled oyster. The waiter - they could all have a perfect score in a test of what's on the plate - told us to eat it in one bite. It was an implosion of sharp and soft, hot and cold, pungent and creamy. When we asked about the container, he took us through the process of making kimchi stock, which is poured out and air-dried enough so it could be shaped into delicate petal-like cups before being dehydrated into a crisp, candy-like film.
I was just as amazed with the texture of the mock shark's fin soup, which has become one of Lee's signature dishes. Using a hydrocolloid gel, Lee replicates the translucent filaments and distinct texture of the fins, and floats them in a rich broth made from double chicken stock and ham. He adds a Western touch with truffle custard nested in the bottom of the bowl.
Each of Lee's combinations is indescribably complex, but the flavors are well integrated and the techniques are time consuming, which justifies the $180 tab.
Diners will also pay a lot for the optional wine pairings, which adds another $110 to the bill. At some high-end restaurants I've been disappointed with the pairing efforts. However, at Benu, a big part of the experience is not only the artistry of Lee but also the sheer genius of wine director Yoon Ha. His pairings are masterful; I can't think of anyone who does it better.
Artistic pairings
When Ha explains his thinking behind the pairings, you know he understands the chemistry and raises it to artistry.
One example: A 2008 Rodenbach Flemish red brown ale that bridged two dishes. The amber-reddish liquid was sweet with raspberries when consumed with the salt-and-pepper squid served on a squid-ink rice chip, but it took on a whole new seductively sour personality when paired with the foie-gras-filled bao.
Other virtuoso pairings included the 1968 Blandy's Madeira with the mock shark's fin soup, and the 2009 Domaine de la Solitude Chateauneuf-du-Pape matched to beef braised with pear and served with tiny beech mushrooms, sunflower seeds and sprouts.
However, I have a few reservations about the restaurant's interior, which hasn't worn all that well. It's so modern and stark that you notice the wear patterns on the gray carpet, the scuffs on the table and the wrinkles on the upholstered chairs.
The real visual disconnect, however, comes in the slatted ceiling above the skylight, where plants grow above and moss dangles below. It feels like 1960s chic and out of character for the otherwise modern room.
But this is about the only misstep I can cite, which is why Benu has earned its fourth star.
The 4-star galaxy
Benu is the newest Bay Area restaurant to receive The Chronicle's four-star rating, joining seven others. They are:
Chez Panisse, 1517 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley; (510) 548-5525
Coi, 373 Broadway, San Francisco; (415) 393-9000
Cyrus, 29 North St., Healdsburg; (707) 433-3311
French Laundry, 6650 Washington St., Yountville; (707) 944-2380
La Folie, 2316 Polk St., San Francisco; (415) 776-5577
Manresa, 320 Village Lane, Los Gatos; (408) 354-4330
Restaurant at Meadowood, 900 Meadowood Lane, St. Helena; (707) 967-1205
For complete reviews, go to www.sfgate.com/food.
22 Hawthorne St. (at Howard), San Francisco.
(415) 685-4860. www.benusf.com.
Dinner 5:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, until 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Beer and wine. Reservations and credit cards accepted. No San Francisco surcharges. Difficult street parking; valet $15.
Overall: Rating: FOUR STARS
Food: Rating: FOUR STARS
Service: Rating: FOUR STARS
Atmosphere: Rating: THREE STARS
Prices: $$$$ (17-course fixed-price menu, $180; a la carte dishes Tuesday-Thursday, $18-$42)
Noise rating: Noise Rating: TWO BELLS (Can talk easily; 65-70 decibels)
Rating: FOUR STARS Extraordinary Rating: THREE STARS Excellent Rating: TWO STARS Good Rating: ONE STAR Fair Noise Rating: BOMB Poor
FOUR STARS = Extraordinary; THREE STARS = Excellent; TWO STARS = Good; ONE STAR = Fair; NO STARS = Poor
$ = Inexpensive: entrees $10 and under; $$ = Moderate: $11-$17; $$$ = Expensive: $18-$24; $$$$ = Very Expensive: more than $25
ONE BELL = Pleasantly quiet (less than 65 decibels); TWO BELLS = Can talk easily (65-70); THREE BELLS = Talking normally gets difficult (70-75); FOUR BELLS = Can talk only in raised voices (75-80); BOMB = Too noisy for normal conversation (80+)
Prices are based on main courses. When entrees fall between these categories, the prices of appetizers help determine the dollar ratings. Chronicle critics make every attempt to remain anonymous. All meals are paid for by The Chronicle. Star ratings are based on a minimum of three visits. Ratings are updated continually based on at least one revisit.
Reviewers: Michael Bauer (M.B.), Nicholas Boer (N.B.), Tara Duggan (T.D.), Mandy Erickson (M.E.), Amanda Gold (A.G.), Allen Matthews (A.M.), Miriam Morgan (M.M.), Carol Ness (C.N.) and Carey Sweet (C.S.)
Michael Bauer is The San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic. email@example.com, and go to www.sfgate.com/food to read his previous reviews. Find his blog daily at insidescoopsf.com, and follow him on Twitter at @michaelbauer1.